So I leave work, go about 100 feet and feel that there is something just not right with the bike. Handling like a pig in mud.
I stop, and look at the tires. Sure enough the rear has got a big 'ol sheet metal screw sticking out of it. And, I haven't got a stop-n-go plug kit with me. Like a moron I let it go when I sold my other bike and haven't replaced it yet.
&^#$%^@#%@*
This is going to be a loooooong evening..... And I'm hungry. Good thing the vending machine has Snickers bars and I have cash.....

 

Map Captain that really sucks[:@] I only take my kit with me on real long rides.

 

Yep! That sucks. I had one go flat just after making a knee drager turn and crossing a steel deck bridge. The bike (CB750F) was all over the place on the bridge, more than normal. At the end of the bridge was a traffic light. I stoped and on green made a right hand turn. I opened up the bike and she was going crazy. I pulled to the side of the road and saw that the rear was flat. That bike was never the same after that. At about 82 MPH the bike would go off like a paint shaker.

 

Knock on wood for being superstitious, but I haven't had this problem. I would become real disappointed to have a flat. I just value my tires so much and to plug them would be sad. I do carry a kit though whenever I do long rides. Sorry to hear about your mishap captain.

 

Fortunatly I was rescued. A friend with a kind soul brought me a stop-n-go tire plugging kit and I managed to get it plugged, aired up and rode it the 25 miles home.
I am going to start carrying a kit and small compressor EVERYWHERE! I have a big top case, and there is room in the tail for a kit and so there is no reason not to. At the cost of a tow or a cab ride, it doesn't make sense not to carry this stuff.
I can say that the using the Honda tools worked well and so did the plug kit. I'll take the tire in and see if it can be saved. If not I'll be talking with the construction company building the new parking garage here at or facility about replacing the tire. [sm=bicker.gif]

 

So captain...and others...

I worked in gas stations a bit in highschool and college and plugged many, many car tires. I feel 100%confident in that application.

For cycle tires, are they good and safe? Do you use them only as a temporary fix til you can patch it from inside?

Which kit do you recommend?

 

I patched one that had about 10 miles on it and rode it untill it needed to be replaced. My brother put tires on his bike and the day after the were put on he picked up a screw in one. He plugged it and has many miles on it now. Tubeless tire tend to leak more than blow out. I have had other flats and found that the tube tire just goes south fast. I had a dirt bike and was out front for two laps and my frieds were cracking up because I didn't know the rear was flat. I had the *** end way out and didn't notice.
I think that if it is away from the sidewall it is Ok. If it is near the sidewall where the tire is flexing I would just replace the tire. Also the rear tire has more meat on it and is not flexed as much as the front. If I plugged one I sure as hell woud not take it to the salt flats.

 

As long as a belt hasn't been compromised or the sidewall hasn't been damaged then I feel okay with a patch. However what I did is a temporary fix, and isn't meant to last. Having said that, there are stories of people putting thousands of miles on temp plug. I'm not sure I'm comfortable with that.

 

A friend of mine had a conti attack on the back, got a flat and plugged it. He rode that thing for another 2k miles, did stand up wheelies, rolling burnouts, and the likes. He never had one problem with it. As TimBucTwo pointed out, the back is less dangerous to be plugged than the front tire. So much rides (pardon the pun) on the front working the way it should.

also, just wanted to update all that remembered my question of the front end headshake. I did put a new tire on it and cured it. No thread highjack intended.